National Rental Prices – Where the Opportunity Is for Today’s Renters

Residents of Houston, Texas know what it’s like to endure one of the country’s most severe storms ever recorded. Hurricane Harvey hit the Midwest state in fall 2017 bringing with it severe devastation that has been estimated to have impacted nearly 50% of all homes in the area.

A lot of things impact rent: building size, amenities, housing availability, proximity to central areas and most of all location. When looking nationally the rent variations from city to city can be extreme – especially when comparing historically high-priced areas with that of relatively new up and coming areas. It comes down to the area’s demand – rent has no cap and will go as high as the market allows.

That demand and subsequent price hike can become inflated if a location, mainly metro and city areas become overpopulated. Texas-based property developer Marcus Hiles shares his experience of market inflation by adding, “Take a place like New York City, the introduction of new housing is much more rare than a place like Austin, Texas. NYC’s available space for new property development is scarce and comes at a premium most average renters can’t afford nor makes for a smart decision for investors and developers.”

A new report by online authority in the rental industry, Zumper highlights this push-pull factor that continues to fluctuate the median rental rates nationally.

According to their data, today’s most expensive rental markets are those you would expect: San Francisco, NYC, San Jose, LA and Boston.